The descendants will be among hundreds of people involved in a spectacular re-enactment ceremony, which will include 88 Australian Defence Force personnel dressed in period costume led by another 88 soldiers from Kapooka.

“It’s going to be pretty powerful,” said Rhondda Vanzella, vice-president of the Kangaroo March Re-enactment Committee.

Mrs Vanzella and the Wagga sub-branch of the RSL are encouraging as many people as possible to attend the ceremony – wearing military medals or in period costume if they wish – and be part what is considered one of the standout activities of the Centenary of Anzac in the Riverina, and a historic event in its own right.

The ceremony to farewell the 35-day, 524km re-enactment will be held in Wagga’s civic centre forecourt from 10.30am.

The Australian Army Band Kapooka will play as the crowd arrives, poems and prayers will be read and a keynote address will be delivered by the director of the Australian War Memorial, Dr Brendan Nelson.

The RSL Rural Youth Commemorative Choir will perform their moving tribute to the Anzacs, called Lest We Forget, and an Anzac Flame will be lit from the new eternal flame in the Victory Memorial Gardens.

A descendant of original Kangaroo Edward Fitzgerald, Louisa Fitzgerald, will speak on what the march means to her family.

Mrs Vanzella said the ceremony would bring together a massive community effort that has included schools supporting postcard and diary competitions, singing in a Kangaroo Chorus and whole towns coming together to organise special events as the march passes through.

“The community response has been unbelievable,” Mrs Vanzella said.

“For example, the Riverina CWA ladies have hand-sewn more than 100 poppies for the marchers.”

CWA members have also sewn pinafores for school children to dress in period costume.

She said that by attending the ceremony, people would get a feeling of what it was like for families 100 years ago to farewell sons going to war.